Travellers from the coronavirus-hit region of China will be separated from other passengers when arriving in the UK as part of new measures in response to the outbreak.

Chinese officials have confirmed the first instance of human-to-human transimission of the virus. Authorities have also warned that it “could mutate and spread further”. It comes as the CDC has confirmed the first case of 2019 coronavirus in the US, adding another to the more than 300 cases identified by authorities since the virus began circulating earlier this year. The virus originated in Wuhan, and has since spread around Asia, in the neighbouring cities of Shenzen and Beijing, and into Thailand. 

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Passengers on flights from Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated, will be screened at Heathrow. They will also be observed for signs of illness, be handed medical advice leaflets and will have their temperature checked if necessary. 

According to the Evening Standard a flight from Wuhan is due to land at Heathrow on Wednesday evening at around 6pm. 

Nine people have died so far from the illness, and hundreds of cases have been reported worldwide as far afield as the US, Japan and South Korea.

What is coronavirus?

The Coronavirus is in the same viral family as SARS and MERS, which killed a combined total of almost 1,600 people when they originated in 2002 and 2015 respectively. This has sparked fears of a similar deadly pandemic in 2020.